KLEIN-VIERSTRAAT BRITISH

CEMETERY

Kemmel

Heuvelland

West-Vlaanderen

Belgium

GENERAL DIRECTIONS: Leave Ieper via the Lille Gate, and take the signs
for Armentieres (N365), after 900m just before the railway crossing turn
right onto Kemmelseweg. 5km along this road turn right into Vierstraat,
continue for 1km along this road then, turn left by Kemmel No.1 French
cemetery and there is a parking area. Park here and walk across the road to
Klein-Vierstraat British Cemetery.

The village of Kemmel and the adjoining hill, Mont Kemmel, were the
scene of fierce fighting in the latter half of April 1918, in which both
Commonwealth and French forces were engaged.

The cemetery was begun in January 1917 and Plots I to III were made by
field ambulances and fighting units before the middle of January 1918. Plot
IV was begun in April 1918. After the Armistice, graves were brought into
Plot I, Row H, and Plots IV to VII, from two smaller cemeteries (FERME HENRI
PATTYN-VANLAERES, Poperinghe and MONT-VIDAIGNE MILITARY CEMETERY, Westoutre)
and from the battlefields of Dikkebus, Loker and Kemmel.

Klein-Vierstraat British Cemetery now contains 805 First World War
burials, 109 of them unidentified.

Son of Betsy
Thompson, of 7, Holmby St., Burnley Lane, Burnley, and the late Baldwin
Thompson.

Plot I. G. 13.

Lane was a
Joiner at Stanworth's, Barden Lane, Burnley prior to enlisting and a Bugler
in the St Andrew's Scout Troop.

His parents
received the following letter from his Captain, written the day after his
death:

"Your son
was killed in action yesterday. His loss will be greatly felt in the
company, and by me personally, as he had just been promoted, and was doing
good work, when he was suddenly taken from us. Your son suffered no pain and
was buried this morning in a village near by."

Thomas lived in
Burnley and was Assistant Master at St. Mary's R.C. Boys School. He was
awarded the Military Medal for extinguishing a fire at an ammunition dump in
France.

His parents
received the following letter from Major A. R. Carr:

"Dear Mr.
Dagg, it is with very deep regret that I must write and tell you of the
death of your son. He was killed last night by the bursting of a shell only
a few yards away. He was in charge of his gun at the time, and was actually
firing. I, together with the officers under my command, sympathise most
deeply with you on your great loss. He has done most excellent work since he
came out with the battery, and we can ill afford to lose him. Under fire he
always seemed to be fearless, and his example to his men was splendid. He
was buried this afternoon with two others of his comrades in a military
cemetery about two miles from the battery position, and I have made a
careful note of the spot."